fun Archives

Sunday, March 9, 2008 -- 2:40 p.m. -- at my desk

You know, these cats don't usually make me laugh (OK, they do).

This one really made me laugh. Apparently, this cat isn't buying into the whole Web app deal.

In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this cat has jailbroken his iPhone.

I also think that this cat will be one of the first 100 in line when the 3G iPhone comes out.

You heard it here first.

Thanks for calling.

Christmas Eve 2007 -- 11:55 p.m. -- on my couch

I didn't expect a note back, but I got one. And it's just as I suspected -- Santa is an iPhone user.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, December 21, 2007 -- 11:35 a.m. -- on my couch

'Twas a few days before Christmas
And from the cities to the sticks
I've never seen so many folks looking
for their holiday iPhone fix

As crazy as this tale is, lucky for you
This new age I imagine is soon to come true
And how bout this rhyme? Not all that appalling
Merry Christmas to all and to all thanks for calling.

Friday, November 30, 2007 -- 5:20 p.m. -- on my couch

You know those times when you want all eyes on you? Wearing this shirt would probably do it.

It's simple, it's blunt and it's funny.

We've all heard those crappy ringtones ... the ones that make you wonder what the person who downloaded was thinking at the time. The ones that make nails trailing on a chalkboard sound like beautiful music.

This "Your Ringtone Sucks" shirt is available at thinkgeek.com for $14.99-$16.99 depending on size.

Here's the link to the product page.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, November 26, 2007 -- 2:38 a.m. -- on my couch

Get this. You know the AT&T campaign about needing everything to work in more places -- like Orlandasanfranattle or Deninghamatti?

Well, if you go to this site, you can create a shirt or mug and more with your own city on it comprised of as many as 3 spots.

As you can see from my picture, I need my iPhone to work in Chiburgh (Chicago and Pittsburgh). After you create the city, you get to choose a profile and that gives the "kiss me I'm from" or "I went to _______ and all I got was this shirt."

Useless but cool and a fun time-waster at 2:30 in the morning.

Once you like what you've created, you are then taken to zazzle.com and then the fun ends.

The T-shirt starts at $17.95. The coffee mug ranges from about $13 to about $20. There's a bag that starts at $18 and $26. Only the stickers are reasonable at $3.95.

Although, the coffee cup would be cool to get for your geek who could put it next to his or her iPhone dock. Just saying.

It's a very cool idea, but it costs a little too much for my tastes. But maybe there's a die-hard AT&T fan on your holiday list that would love something like this. If so, you're welcome. And if not, just check it out for a chuckle or two.

If you try it out, tell me where you are from.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 -- 3:50 p.m. -- at my desk

It doesn't get much better than this.

While I've railed on NBC's decision to remove itself from the iTunes party, that's not what this post is about. It's about a mistake on the new "Bionic Woman" that Lindsay Wagner would have never made.

Take a look at this screenshot from a recent episode of the show. Do you see anything strange?

Yep. The person is talking on an iPhone -- upside down!

Granted, the sound quality in your average iPhone could be better, but upside down? How exactly is that going to help things?

Hmmm. Maybe some feature is coming in 1.1.3 that allows for upside down or right side up use. Or maybe someone just didn't take the time to look at what they filmed.

E-mail me, Mr. director. I'd love hear your side.

Thanks for calling.

Oh, and if you want more TV news that I can provide here, you've got to check out Curt Wagner's Show Patrol blog. He works a few desks away and let me tell you, he's a top-notch guy.

Friday, October 19, 2007 -- 2:30 p.m. -- out and about-- **UPDATED Tuesday, October 22, 2007 -- 12:10 a.m. -- at my desk

Don't ask me why I think of this stuff, because I don't know. But I got to thinking ... wouldn't it be funny to dress up as an iPhone for Halloween. Not me per se, but someone. Anyone.

I knew someone at my last job that went as a working iPod. He had a battery and played music. I think he shuffled, too. And to hear him tell it, he was the hit of the party.

But consider, if you will, as we wind down the week with something fun:

* At a party, it would be easy to get a date -- you know, with enamored folks sliding their fingers all over your body. But be faithful ... you don't want your significant other to ask about too many smudges.

* If someone comes up to you and asks for your number, well, you can't really say no.

* The possibiliity of pickup lines are endless ... your icons are hot! You know how to push my buttons. I'm getting a strong signal here. I'm ready, can I push play?

I could go on all day ... really I could ... but I won't.

Now if anyone decides to go to a party as an iPhone -- whether it's a direct result of this entry or if you had the idea first, please send me a picture. You'll get prominent placement here at IPTIB, I promise.

And thanks to RedEye's Jessica Randklev for doing this illo that actually has nothing to do with this post. But because it's Halloween related and features Count and Franken with iPods, I had to hijack it. And post a copy in my cubicle.

Oh, and of course you knew this was coming ... Count Chocula's favorite song? Chocolate Rain, of course. And Franken Berry? Strawberry Fields Forever. Boo Berry's iPod is on backorder.

Have a nice weekend. News when it happens. Breaking news at once.

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 -- 9 a.m. -- on my couch

Some say it's mystic. You can't resist it.

You know that slide we iPhone users do? Well, it's electric.

Boogie woogie, woogie.

And, I'd argue, it's becoming iconic, just like those dangling white buds.

You can be half a block away and tell if someone is using an iPhone by looking at their hands. There's that all-telling slide we do to answer that call or erase that e-mail. It's almost flirty in a way.

I ask you ... when was the last time you remember being happy about answering a phone, short of it being someone special on the other end? Now, even if you don't want to talk to the person, it's a tougher decision deciding between voicemail and doing the slide.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying your iPhone. And there's nothing wrong with looking forward to life's simple pleasures. Is there anything wrong with an entry that plays so closely off a cheesy wedding song? Maybe, but we'll save that for another post.

Do you think the slide is becoming iconic? Let me know.

Thanks for calling. Boogie woogie woogie.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007 -- 4:50 p.m. -- at my desk

Does your iPhone have a name?

I was inspired by an Associated Press story we're running in tomorrow's paper about people who become emotionally attached to their Roomba vacuum cleaners. And when I say emotionally attached, I mean people who dress up their Roombas and take them on vacation.

One guy even introduced his to his parents.

In the paper, as we often do to be unique and different, I had the staff suggest names for our new Roomba.

Weird, maybe. Fun, definitely.

So let's come up with names for our iPhones? Why? Because we can and because it'll make everyone laugh.

I'll start ... Fritz.

Send me your names.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, October 1, 2007 -- 7:17 p.m. -- at my desk

On Tuesday, the much-anticipated partnership between Apple and Starbucks officially kicks off in New York and Seattle. iPhone users with 1.1.1 software who walk into a Starbucks will see a Starbucks logo appear in their Wi-Fi music store that lets you buy whatever's playing in the store and whatever the store is recommending.

Full caffeinated disclosure: I love Starbucks. Well, I love coffee. And I love drinking coffee at Starbucks. So I love Starbucks.

While I couldn't go because I'm based in Chicago and all, there was a media preview of it today and I'm hearing good things. The Wi-Fi is free, there's no login needed. It just works plain and simple, it seems, and that's the way it should be.

But it got me thinking ... I walk into a Starbucks and boom. Here's an icon for you. How convenient.

So what other icons could appear on the iPhone when walking into Starbucks? I'm glad you asked.

1. Coffee cup: Your drink is ready.

2. Coffee cup with an X through it: Your drink isn't ready because 20 baristas are chatting behind the counter and 1 is making coffee.

3. Spoon on a string: Indicates when the bathroom is free.

4. Sparkling spoon on a spring: Indicates the free bathroom is clean.

5. Blueberry muffin: You didn't realize it before, but you are actually hungry.

6. My face: iPhone, Therefore I Blog is updated.

Thanks for calling.

P.S. The card in the picture is the new one where if you add value and register it online before 12/31/07, you get a credit for 2 free iTunes downloads. That's music to my ears.

Friday, September 21, 2007 -- 11:23 a.m -- my couch (yawn!)

What do you do after an extremely long day at the office? Go home and crash, right? Sure, but not me. Nope, yours truly takes out his iPhone and starts typing in funny town names into Google Maps.

What's that? Why, you ask?

Because I can.

So today I'm sleep deprived and dragging, but I've got a fun post that's perfect to kick off the weekend.

Let's backtrack first ... When I started typing in funny names, I came up with examples such as Left Hand, West Virginia and Lorida, Florida. But then I couldn't stop, and not only did I come up with a large list, I put them in groups that make them even more funny.

Don't take my word for it. Decide for yourself. Let me know what you think, whether you love it, hate it or think I should have traded the research for 3 hours of sleep.

Thanks for calling.

YOU SCARED?
Fearnot, Pennsylvania
Panic, Pennsylvania
Eek, Alaska
Cape Fear, N.C.

WATER
Hot Water, Mississippi
Cold Water, Mississippi

THAT'S JUST ...
Normal, Illinois
Peculiar, Missouri
Odd, West Virginia
Boring, Maryland
Boring, Oregon
Ordinary, KY
Plain City, Utah
Eclectic, Alabama

TAKE A NUMBER
Zero, Montana
Fifty-Six, Arkansas
Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania
Eighty Eight, Kentucky
Ninety-six, SC
Hundred, WV

3 SQUARE MEALS
Oatmeal, Texas
Two Egg, FL
Bacon, IN
Buttermilk, KS
Hot Coffee, Mississippi
Sandwich, Illinois
Mayo, FL
Chicken, Alaska
Forks of Salmon, California
Turkey, KY
Cranberry, PA
Pumpkin Center, MO
Belcher, New York (had to add this one)

OH, GIRLS ...
Romance, Arkansas
Loveladies, New Jersey
Rough and Ready, California

BECAUSE I SAID SO!
Why, AZ
Uncertain, Texas
Okay, Oklahoma

IT'S IN THE STARS
Venus, PA
Earth, Texas
Moon, PA
Mars, PA
Jupiter, Florida
Neptune, NJ

OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD
Ding Dong, Texas
Lollipop, Texas

WASTE NOT
Crappo, MD
Poop Creek, Oregon

READ IT
Magazine, Arkansas
Library, Pennsylvania
Reading, PA

BLUSHING
Ono, Pennsylvania
Embarrass, Minnesota

COFFEE, TEA OR ...?
Coffee Springs, Arkansas
Tea, South Dakota
Honey Island, Texas

SOMETHING'S MISSING
No Name, Colorado
Nameless, Texas
Nothing, Arizona

ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM
Cadillac, FL
Ford City, PA
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Gas, KS
Speed, KS

THIS IS A TEST
Experiment, GA
Laboratory, PA
Frankenstein, Missouri

HO-HO-HO
Santa Claus, IN
Christmas, Florida
Rudolph, Wisconsin

YAY!!
Celebration, FL
Happy, Texas
What Cheer, IA

UGH
Dismal, Tennessee
Hell, Michigan
Gross, Louisiana

SUPER!
Krypton, KY
Metropolis, Illinois

CUTS OF ...
Cut Shin, KY
Cut Bank, MT
Cut and Shoot, TX
Cutoff, Louisiana

Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007 -- 1:19 a.m. -- on my couch

Not much to say here other than how freakin' cool is this?

This is from Vaughn235, and if you check out his flickr site here you'll find a bunch of other clay creations that will long to be creative.

No word on whether or not Vaughn235's iPhone has echo issues and how he actually cleans off the fingerprints.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, Aug. 17, 2007 -- 10:53 p.m. -- on my couch

You (or your favorite Londoner) will be able to order pizza from Dominoes by text message.

Just goes to show you how much more widespread text messaging is in other countries and how it's so widely relied upon.

Here's a little errrr taste from the Dominoes.uk site ... just for kicks. Not sure what would happen if you tried to order one from here ;-)

What will it cost me to text my order?
We won't charge you a penny to use the Pizza by TXT service - just your standard network charges will apply.

Can I have my orders delivered to another address?
No – all your orders will be sent to the address you give when you register. So if you move house, don't forget to update your details at dominos.co.uk.

How do I pay?
It's up to you. You can either pay by credit/debit card or cash on delivery (you'll be asked how you want to pay when you create a favourite meal).

What else can Domino's Pizza send to my mobile phone?
Well, great Domino's Pizza deals and money-saving vouchers – and that's just for starters. So, why not register now by texting 'PIZZA' and your POSTCODE to 61212. Standard network charges apply.

Thanks for calling ... or ringing me up ... as the case may be.